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Burton was born and educated in Aberdeen . After graduating, he moved to Edinburgh and studied for the Bar, being admitted to the Faculty Of Advocates in 1831 . However, he had little practice, and in 1854 was appointed Secretary to the Prison Board of Scotland, and in 1877 a Commissioner of Prisons.

He became at an early period of his life a contributor to '' Blackwood's Magazine '' and other periodicals, and in 1846 published a life of David Hume , which attracted considerable attention, and was followed by Lives of Lord Lovat and Lord President Forbes . He began his career as a Historian by the publication in 1853 of '' History Of Scotland From The Revolution To The Extinction Of The Last Jacobite Insurrection '', to which he added (1867-70) '' History Of Scotland From Agricola's Invasion To The Revolution '', in 7 vols., thus completing a continuous narrative. Subsequently he published a '' History Of The Reign Of Queen Anne '' (1880). Other works of a lighter kind were '' The Book-Hunter '' (1862), and '' The Scot Abroad '' (1864). Burton's historical works display much research and a spirit of candour and honesty. Burton was one of the first historians to introduce the principles of historical research into the study and writing of the history of Scotland.